Unity among religious leaders is growing, said a conference on International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID). Though there are some attempts to sow discord by some people, faith leaders are working harder than ever for unity. The center works with a wide range of international partners, which include religious institutions, intergovernmental organizations such as the European Commission, United Nations and civil society.
More than 200 religious leaders, policymakers, academics, and representatives of international and civil society organizations attended the conference titled, “Interreligious Dialogue for Peace: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship.” They included leaders from the Orthodox community, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Muslim World League, Jewish leaders and the Evangelical Church of Egypt.
At the end of the conference, hundreds of religious leaders jointly affirmed values of social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
“Promoting tolerance, deepening the shared values will keep our religions away from exclusive claims and fundamentalist tendencies,” said Aram I, Keshishian, Catholicos of Cilicia.
What does Aram I mean by exclusive claims and fundamentalist tendencies? In other words, they are working to get all religions of the world, which have vastly different theological points of view, to give their distinctive views and only emphasize common beliefs. The ultimate aim is to demonize anyone who claims that another religion is superior or exclusive and that there is only one way to heaven, for instance. Fundamentalism is essentially a belief in the Bible (or any other sacred text) as the only rule of faith and practice. To unite these widely disparate religions would require setting the Bible aside. Those who cling to the idea that the Bible, not tradition, is the final authority are likely to be marginalized.
There are a number of religions or fundamentalist religious sects that are violent and would kill to promote their faith, particularly in the Middle East. This provides justification and urgency to the ecumenical movement and the condemnation of all exclusive ideas and fundamentalism.
Rabbi David Rosen, international director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee, and a Sabbath-keeper noted, “Prejudice and bigotry are nurtured by ignorance and alienation.”
Bishop Miguel Ayuso, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, “How necessary peace and reconciliation are in our days and in our world, so in need of promoting a ‘culture of dialogue’, a ‘culture of inclusivism’ respectful of every human person, so as together to promote a solidarity directed towards the common good.”
The common good is that which is good for all. Anything that doesn’t fit into the definition of the common good is to be shunned, including any point of view that is not ecumenical.
KAICIID said that leading representatives of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other religious communities worldwide “spoke up in one voice for social cohesion, peaceful coexistence and respect for religious diversity.”
Respect for religious diversity would mean the elimination of any claim that one’s faith or understanding of the Bible, for instance, would be the only truth, or the superior truth. Soul-winning from one denomination or religion to another would eventually be banned on the basis that it does not respect religious diversity. Social cohesion is the idea, among other things, that society can be peaceful only when all religions are in ecumenical unity.
There are several things to note. 1). The ecumenical movement has gained such momentum that opposition only spurs them to further unity. 2). They are currently uniting initially on the common points of doctrine. Ultimately, they will unite against those who oppose the new world order religion along with its worship laws based on the Bible’s teaching. In other words, the religious world is uniting in order to oppose God’s Ten Commandment Law, of which the 4th commandment will be the special point of controversy, according to the Bible.
While the following statement is specifically speaking of America, the principle and result apply globally. “When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.” Great Controversy, page 445.